1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wall mountable carriers and, more particularly, is directed towards foldable carriers of the foregoing type for storing bicycles, skis, luggage and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years the popularity of bicycle riding for sport, recreation, and transportation has increased. Bicycle carriers and holders of various configurations have been developed to enable owners to transport and store one or more bicycles between uses. Typical bicycle carriers that are mountable on automobiles are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,108 and 4,709,840. A typical wall-mounted carrier is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,089.
The storage of bicycles using wall mounted carriers or ceiling hooks is advantageous in that it allows the bicycles to be mounted in an out of the way location, conserves floor space, and decreases congestion in cramped quarters. Typically, wall mounted carriers are in the form of large brackets having immobile extending carrying arms which project outwardly from the wall. Unfortunately, the extending carrying arms present a hazard to those passing by and can cause accidental injury. Further, such wall mountable brackets require an undersirably large storage area even when they are not in use.
A need has arisen for a carrier that can be easily mounted on a generally planar member and can be collapsed into a flat configuration for easy, out of the way, and safe storage when not in use.